Cutting filler tobacco for cigar bunches



1931- J. F. HA LSTEAD 1,805,694

CUTTING FILLER TOBACCO FOR CIGAR BUNGHES Filed May 12, 1928 INVENTOR Patented May 19, 1931 v UNITED STATE PATE T OFFICE if roan FREDRIK HALs'rEAnor BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, nssre von. To INTERNA IONA omen MACHINERY GQMPANYKA CORPORATION on NEW JERSEY CUTTING FILLEIt TO BACCO FOR CIGAR BUN GI-IES 7 Application filed May 12, 1928. Serial No. 277,302.

This invention relates to an improved method of, and apparatus for, cuttingthe filler tobacco for cigar bunches, and is particularly. .intended for 1 cutting the bunch charges of cigars pointed at one end and; blunt at the other, in cigar machines in which a stream of filler material is cut transversely, so that the same cut serves for the, tuck end of one cigar and the head end of the next. In cigar machines of this type hitherto used, if the shape of the cutter was made so that there was the proper amount of material at the blunt end of the bunch, then therewas more tobacco at the pointed end than required for said pointed end of the bunch, and in squeezing the bunch down to shape, an unevenly packed cigarv having poor drawing. qualities,

would result. The main object of the present I invention is to provide a" method and app'aratus for cutting thefiller in machines of this type, so that in one cut across the-stream of filler material, the proper amount of materlal will be provided at each end of acharge to, form the diif-erentlyshaped head properly and tuck ends of the cigar. Another object is to provide a method and apparatus'for cut-. ting cigar filler material which will insure evenly packed cigars, having the desired drawing qualities.

jects not spec fically mentionediin view,

fthev inventlon conslsts of certain constructions and COmblDatIOIISWhICh will be hereinafter.

fully described and then set forth in the appendedclaims. 1 f 1 In the accompanying drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2' show the forms of cigars tha the improved method and apparatus-is intended to produce; p

3 illustrates the proper distribution; ofmaterial at the endof the charge;

Fig. 4. illustrates the' distribution of'm ate rial resulting from a cut made by the corrugated knife alone; v j Fig. 5 illustrates how material is removed from one end of the charge shown in'Fig. 4

to attain approximately the desired distribu-- tion of material, as shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is adiagrammatic illustrationcomparing the distribution of material at the With these and other obpointed end of the cigar attained in the shape shown in Fig.3 and that shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is, an elevation of the apparatus, according to the invention for carryingout the improved method; and v i Fig.- 8 is a plan view of shown in Fig. 7. Referring to the drawings, when cigars .1 the apparatus.

with a blunt head H and a tapered or pointed bacco roll formed from the charge will naturally assume the desired shape without requiringundue' squeezing in. the finishing process. In cigar machines of the type to which the invention is applied, the filler to bacco is fed in a continuous stream of. the

proper widthfor the thickness of. the cigar,

to be made. Corrugated cuts spaced a bunch length apart are made across this stream, the

'convexities and concavities of the cuts .being of the same depth, and those on one side of the cut forming the head end of the cigar and those on the other side of the out forming the tuck end of the cigar. If the shape of this I cutter is selectedto form perfectly one end of the cigar, then'therewillbe more or less tobacco than'is required for the other and '5 differently shed end of the cigar, and in I squeezing the H unch down to shape-van un: evenly packed and imperfect cigar will result.

-The present method by which this difli culty is overcome consists in punching out holes spaced fromthe cut, as shownin'Fig. 5, in the end of the charge to form the pointed endof the cigar. As shown in Fig.

6, the area cut out in this way is equal to the difference in the amount of material required to form the tuck and head ends of the cigar. The holes out in the filler may be of any,

' shape, but are preferably ovah as shown, and

to operate on said tobacco.

terial needed to form said tuck and head ends is removed from the stream at a point spaced from the cuts. In the best mode of carrying out the methodcontemplated, this material removed is punched out from the stream of filler material. The apparatus used in carrying the invention into effect comprises a knife having a corrugated edge for cutting the tobacco, means to remove selected portions of the tobacco at a point spaced from the cut, and mechanism mounting said knife and means for reciprocation In the best constructions this apparatus also includes a plurality of punches. The means above referredto may be widely varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for theparticular machine selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible embodiments of the same. The. invention therefore is not to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

The mechanism for cutting the charges in accordance with the improved method above described is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. A cross bar 10 is mounted for reciprocation on the vertical shafts 11, sliding in bearings 12, secured to the cigar machine, these shafts being reciprocated from the cigar machine by suitable means not shown. On this cross bar is ad'ustably mounted a knife block 13, to whic is clamped'the corrugated cutter or knife blade 14. For this purpose a clamp piece 15 is provided, clamping the knife ads to the'knife block and also carrying in vertical holestherein the interchangeable unches 16 held in place by set screws 17 ese punches are arranged as shown in Figs-7 and 8, with their cutting portions in the same horizontal plane as the knife edge and with each punch arranged on the same side of the cutting edge and in juxtaposition to the concavities of said edge. The belt 18, forming part of the cigar machine and running over the pulley 19, conveys the stream of filler material to a table 20- having apertures registering with the knife blade 14; and

the punches 16. By means of these aper tures the table serves as a ledger plate for the knife blade and punches. As the shafts 11 reciprocate, the cross bar 10 operates the knife 14 and the punches to operate on said tobacco. thereby cutting the charge in one operation to the shape shown in Fig. 5, having the proper amount of material arranged at each end of the charge to roll a cigar at the blunt and pointed ends without undue 1.. In cutting filler material for cigar bunches having different amounts or" materialin the tuck and head ends, the method which consists in providing a stream of filler material, makingccorrugated cuts across the same spaced a bunch length apart, and removing, from the fillermaterial at a point spaced from thecuts an amount of material approximately equal to the difference in the.

amount of material needed to form said tuck and head'ends.

2. In cutti-ng filler material for cigar bunches having different amounts of material in the tuck and head ends, the method which consists in providing a stream of filler material, making corrugated cuts across tliesame spaced a bunch length apart, and punching out from-the filler-material at a point spacedfrom the cuts an amount of material approximately equal to the diiierence in the amount of material needed to form'said tuck and head ends.

3. In cutting filler material. for cigar bunches having different amounts of material in the tuck and head'ends, the method which consists in providing a stream of filler mate.

rial, 'making'corrugated cuts across the same spaced a bunch length apart and punching out of holes in juxtaposition tothe convexitiesof the corrugated cuts, an amount of material approximately equal to the dif-.

ferenee inthe amount of material needed to formsaid tuck and headends.

l. In cutting filler material for cigar,

bunches-having different amounts of material in the tuck and head ends, the method which consists-inproviding astream of material, making crooked cuts across the same spaced.

a bunch length apart, and removing from the filler material at a position spaced from the cuts an amount of materialqapproximately equal to the diflierence between the amounts ofnaterial needed to form said tuck and head en s.

I 5. Apparatus for preparing filler tobacco for cigar bunches, comprising a crooked knife for cutting the tobacco, and associated means for removing selected portions of tobacco spaced from the cut.

6. Apparatus for preparing filler tobacco for cigar bunches, comprising a crooked knife for cutting the tobacco, and associated means for removing selected portions of tobacco spaced'from the out, said removing means including a series of punches.

7. Apparatus for preparing filler tobacco for cigar bunches, comprising a crooked knife for cutting the tobacco, and associated means for removing selected portions of tobacco spaced from the out, said knife being corrugated and said removing means including a series of punches arranged in juxtaposition to concavities of said knife.

8. Apparatus for preparing filler tobacco for cigar bunches, comprising a crooked knife for cutting the tobacco, and associated means for removing selected. portions of tobacco spaced from the cut, and a reciprocating block carrying said knife and said removing means.

In testimony whereof, I havesigned my a name to this specification.

JOHN F. HALSTEAD. 

